MARIAN 2nd CHANCE OUTLET

By DaliusLL, Parish Soccom

Sandakan: What was known as Parish Garage Sales Shop before is now transformed and renamed 'Marian 2^nd Chance Outlet.' It has a very humble beginning, with parishioners contributing used items meant to be sold as recycled items. Proceeds from the recycled items, a supplemental income were encouraging and channeled to the Parish coffer. Surprisingly, the goods and materials came pouring in, filling and piling up at the recycle corner.  

Then came Patrick Seah, the person who saw the opportunity of making use of these useful resources and applied the economic theory of matching demand and supply. According to him, he emulated the idea from the Catholic Churches in Singapore. St. Mary's Cathedral has a sizable Catholic population, thus getting donation of used items and materials is not impossible. 

He shared, “As long as parishioners understand the concept and know that they are channeling their resources for the Church, things would flow smooth.” Thus the Garage Shop concept came into reality. In November 2009, when he was entrusted to look for fund for the then Diocesan Pastoral and Worship Centre, he managed to raise RM20,000 through the garage sale within nine months.

After having accomplished the fundraising project, Fr.Thomas Makajil, the rector recommended that the sale of used items be continued to raise fund for the Parish, headed by Patrick and assisted by Catherine Edward, Ruth Richard and Alice Chew on voluntary basis. The Parish Garage Shop, then located at the Parish Hall was officially opened for business (at ZERO COST) on the 1st Sunday of March 2012 operated on every Sunday from 8.30am – 12.00noon.

After two and a half years in operation, Fr. Thomas, the rector foresaw that there is a need for the garage shop to move to a more convenient and proper space without being disrupted by the normal Sunday Morning Sale in the Parish Hall. With the growing popularity of St. Mary's Cathedral as the pilgrimage centre, and with the Marian Mount, Rosary Corridor, and other infrastructures such as the Marian Bookstore and the Mission House lodging house in place, the Garage shop was relocated adjacent to the Parish Office. 

Looking at the present structure, nobody would have thought that it was previously a car porch measuring some 20’ x 30.’ The renovated and conducive shop costs some RM19,000, funded by generous parishioners. By the grace of God, the Garage Shop was officially opened on Sunday, 12th October 2014 by Fr. Thomas Makajil witnessed by more than 100 parishioners.

Patrich Seah, in his note of appreciation has this to say, “The Marian 2^nd Chance would not have been as it is today without your participation, as customers at our store, donors or one of our volunteers. You are playing a part in helping our Church. We have no employee only volunteers. This way more of the profit is made and the proceeds will go to the church. Please continue to lend your generous support to the Marian 2nd Chance Outlet”.

The practice of sharing through the Marian 2nd chance is an opportune occasion in bringing the community to a better understanding of the Creator and the stewardship of God's creation.